Husband denies Sudanese woman to be released

Published: 02 June 2014

The husband of a woman sentenced to death in Sudan has told the BBC he has not been informed that his wife will be released. Reports on Saturday said a Sudanese official had confirmed that Meriam Ibrahim would be freed in a few days.

But the foreign ministry said on Sunday Ms Ibrahim could only be released after a successful judicial appeal. Her death sentence has sparked international outrage.

Ms Ibrahim, who gave birth in custody, was brought up as an Orthodox Christian, but a judge ruled last month that she should be regarded as Muslim because that had been her father's faith.

She refused to renounce her Christianity and now faces hanging for apostasy.

Abdullahi al-Azreg, an under-secretary at the foreign ministry, told the BBC on Saturday that Ms Ibrahim, 27, would be freed because Sudan guaranteed religious freedom and was committed to protecting her.

But the foreign ministry on Sunday issued a clarification, saying that only the judicial system could rule on the case. 'The defence team of the concerned citizen has appealed the verdict ... and if the appeals court rules in her favour, she will be released,' the ministry said.

Ms Ibrahim's husband, Daniel Wani said he had only heard media reports about his wife's release, which he described as rumours.